The threadbare trees, so poor and thin,
They are no wealthier than I;
But with as brave a core within
They rear their boughs to the October sky.
(Henry David Thoreau, "The Fall")

Are you a word wiz?

What do you think the Latin root of "October" means?

A. amber

B. eight

C. spirit

D. autumn

The correct answer is B -- the Latin ancestor of "October" is "october," and it traces to the root "octo-," meaning "eight." Although we use "October" to refer to the tenth month, the Latin "October" referred to the eighth month. Why is that? In the first calendar used in ancient Rome, a year was made up of ten months, with March as the first month, October the eighth month, and December the tenth month. Later, when two months were added to the beginning of the calendar, October was pushed forward to become the tenth month, but retained its name.